Razor-blade sharpener



May 6 1924.

H. J. SEWOSTER RAZOR BLADE SHARPE NER Filed Feb. 4

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.Patented may 6, i924.

" STATES HENRY J'. SEWOSTER, O F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

RAZOR-BLADE SHABPENER.

Application filed February 4;, 1920. Serial No. 356,288.

To all 'whom z't may concern.' Y

Be it known that I, HENRY J. Snwosrnn,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county ofCuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Razor-Blade Sharpeners, of which the following is aspecification.

ThisV invention relates to a razor-blade sharpener, in which the razorblade is pivota-lly suspended from a reciprocatory support and adaptedto be automatically lifted and lowered in respect to the sharpening orhoning surface during` reciprocatory movement of said support.Reciprocation is imparted by hand and the required pressure to promotesharpening of the cutting edge of the blade is also applied by hand,both operations occurring concurrently under the sensitive feel andtouch of the operator. In these operations, the opposite sides of thecutting edge of the blades are stroked alternately, and Chilling of theedge is absolutely prevented by positive uplift of the blade at the endof each working stroke. The clamp used to hold the blade is alsoparticularly constructed to hold blades of various makes and kinds, andthis clamp and its shifting support is particularly constructed topermit instant setting of the blade in the correct and proper workingposition therein.

In the drawing accompanying this application, Fig. 1 is a sectional Viewvertically on the longitudinal center line of the sharpener showing themovable parts in different working positions in full and dotted lines.Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2-2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of theclamp and`its sliding support standing on its side in an uprightposition on ajiiat surface, and showing a razor blade therein resting onits edge on the same fiat surface. Fig. 4: is a plan view of theSharpener with the clamp and its car rier at one end thereof.

Structurally considered, the Sharpener comprises a stationary bed orframe 2 having a sharpening or honing surface 3 of rectangular shapecentrally situated thereon and bordered on opposite sides by paralleltracks or ways 4f extending beyond each transverse edge 5 of thesharpening surface. The space between the extended portions of thetracks is open to permit a razor blade 6 55 and a pivoted clampingholder 7 to hang and swing therein from a carrier 8 which is free toslide back and forth on tracks L1, and in this position the exposed edgeof blade 6 lies considerably beneath the elevated sharpening surface 3and consequently would strike the cross wall 9 of` the base upon movingthe carrier in that direction. However this is prevented'by roundedprojections 10 on theinside of tracks 4 adjoining walls 9 and whichprojections are located in a horizontal plane below the pivot 11 of theholder and above the exposed edge of the blade and preferably near saidpivot so that as the carrier is moved toward the sharpening surface theholder will ride over the projections 10 and raise the blade to an acuteinclination relatively to said surface.

The bearing face 12 of each projection lies above the sharpening surface3 and inclines downwardly toward said surface and in the approachmovement the holder first rides over the rounded corner of projection 10and lifts the blade above and clear of edge 5 and then as the holderrides down the incline 12 the blade is lowered upon the flat surfaceback from edge 5. The operator mayalso apply pressure by hand to theblade holder andl blade while these parts travel across the sharpening`surface, using the separate hand grip or saddle 14 which is placedastride the cross piece 15 of slidable carrier -8- and has parallel sidewalls or legs 16 adapted to bear down upon the holder between its pivots11 and the exposed edge of the blade, see F ig. 1. The movement of thissaddle toward the cross piece 15 is denitely fixed by set screws 17 andexcess pressure and flexing of the blade thereby prevented, and thepressure applied in this manner is uniformly maintained on the blade inits travel across the sharpening surface until the clamping holderengages and rides up the inclined bearing face 12 of the secondprojection 10 in the line of travel of said holder. ln this interval theblade is lifted away from the sharpening surface before it reaches thecorner or transverse edge 5 and is not permitted to swing downwardlyagain until the exposed blade edge is free to clear the corner 5. Thisoccurs when the holder passes beyond the projection and at that instantthe pressure iin-parted by the saddle causes the holder to gravitate orswing to a vertical hanging position. The parts are then in position forimmediate reverse movement of the slidable carrier, see the dottedposition of the parts at the left in Fig. 4, and in the reverse travelthe holder again engages the spaced projections and their inclinessuccessively and operates as before except that the blade is nowinclined in an opposite direction and the opposite sidel of the bladestroked over the sharpening surface. Briefly reiterating, in moving thecarrier, either to the right or to the left, the blade is firstautomatically shifted from a vertical position to an inclined position,then pressed downwardly upon the flat sharpening surface, and thenpositively raised before it is permitted to swing` downwardly to avertical position again.

The clamping holder comprises two tapering j aw members pivotallysecured together at their ends by pins 19, see Fig. 3, and a woodenwedge 2O or other suitable means may be used to spread the jaw membersapart at their top edges and clamp the blade 6 between the relativelythin bottom edges. The carrier for the blade holder may also be providedwith rabbeted extensions or feet 21 of predetermined length to ride onthe tracks, and to permit the carrier when removed from the tracks torest on its side on a flat surface as shown in Fig. 3. ln assuming thislatter position the clamping holder will turn on its pivot ll and standvertically upright with the straight bottom edges of the jaw membersspaced apart or raised a slight distance above the fiat surface whichserves temporarily as a rest, and the razor blade may then be droppedbetween the `iaw members to align its cutting edge with the aXis ofpivots 11 and to permit the blade to be gripped by the jaws a definitedistance back from the cutting' edge. Again, razor blades of any widthmay be set with their cutting edge the same distance from pivots l1, andthe angle of inclination of the holder and blade in stropping willalways bevel the edge of the blade the same.

rlhe stationary bed or frame may be constructed alike at its top andbottom to permitdifferent stropping or sharpening surfaces 3 3 to beused, merely in inverting the frame, and its tracks, or a separate bodypart or block embodying separate sharpening surfaces may be made areversible part of the frame. rlhe stationary frame, carrier and saddlemay be made of wood, or cast or pressed out of metal, and variousmodifications could be made in the design and structure dependent on theinaterial used or mode of manufacture adopted all without departing fromthe spirit or scope of my invention.

That I claim is:

A razor-blade Sharpener, 'comprising a frame having a sharpeningsurface, a movable carrier having a blade holder pivotally suspendedtherefrom, a hand-hold member seated astride said carrier adapted toengage and apply pressure vertically to said holder. and adjustablemeans upon said member adapted to limit the downward movement of saidmember relatively to said holder.

Signed at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, this30 day of January, 1920.

HENRY J. SEVVOSTER.

